Early detection is the key to early treatment. Visual symptoms are an unreliable indicator of the presence of eye problems, and are an indicator of more advanced retinal changes.
Retinography’s goal is to facilitate annual diabetic retinopathy screening by connecting patients, diabetic care doctors and screening sites. Photo-screening is the gold standard, and the most cost-effective; way of screening for diabetic retinopathy.
How it works
With current cameras it is no longer necessary to dilate the pupil. Screening takes 10 minutes after which the patient can carry on with their daily activities.
Coupling the screening with either Artificial Intelligence or human review, provides an immediate Report on the need, or not, of escalating to a more comprehensive evaluation. A primary screening is intended to identify ‘typical of normal’. Evaluation of ‘not typical of normal’ requires more comprehensive secondary screening. If ‘not typical of normal’ is evaluated as ‘abnormal’ referral to an ophthalmologist becomes indicated.
Our ambition
It is Retinography’s ambition that every diabetic should have a retinopathy screening Report to hand at the time of their attendance with their diabetic doctor. This will maximise the benefit derived from the consultation with their doctor, and assist the doctor in comprehensively evaluating the patient’s diabetes status and risk for diabetes related complications.
In Addition
Photo-screening is increasingly being recognised as a bio-marker for other generalised and ocular health issues, for example:
- The presence of diabetic retinopathy is associated with a 2x higher risk of heart attacks and a 3x higher risk of that heart attack being fatal
- Unrelated eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration can be detected from photo-screening
Artificial Intelligence review for the above conditions is currently being validated
THE RETINOGRAPHY TEAM
An ophthalmologist who provides Clinical Support to the Retinography team and is involved in the medical retinal management of diabetic patients.
Contact
Sr Cilna Birch: nursing@retinography.co.za
Dr Nicola Biggs: medical@retinography.co.za
Dr Eric Falletisch: clinicalsupport@retinography.co.za
Screening Sites
Run under the direct control of either a Medical Doctor or an Optometrist, who are independent service providers with an interest in diabetic retinopathy screening and who collectively make up the Screening Network, whom the Retinography Team aim to support.